Experience in Rēzekne, Latvia by Margarita

What is it like to live in Rēzekne? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

Rezekne is a small city in East part of Latvia . It is about 3,5 hrs away from the capital . It is a pretty calm city , however there are quite a few restaurants , different cultural events around the year , cinema , theater and concerts to keep you entertained. In my opinion a great benefit is that living in Rezekne you really can enjoy all of the seasons of the year , there is plenty of snow in the winter , so you can go skiing , skating or snowboarding , but in summer it is quite sunny , so you can get some tan and enjoy the city lake.

How much does it cost to live in Rēzekne?

It is pretty cheap to live in Rezekne, you can rent an apartment for around 100 eur a month . The food is quite cheap as well and there are plenty of shops around the city , however I would not suggest shopping for clothes in the city , because prices can be quite high and the quality is not the best . Public transport in the city costs 0.50 eur per ride . A train ticket to capital is about 7 eur .

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Rēzekne? Is there any advice you can give?

Usually there is student accommodation offered by the school or university , which should not be expensive or difficult to find , just contact the university or school , I'm sure they will help . If you want to rent an apartment you can look at options on ss.lv in the apartment rental section , unfortunately the site is in Latvian or Russian language, there is no English option.

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

In the city you can find many restaurants with very different options , there are a few pizzerias , sushi restaurant , chinese food and so on . Latvia has very interesting traditional cuisine , I would recommend trying beetroot sup ( also called " cold sup") , potato pancakes and layered rye bread dessert.

What places would you recommend visiting in Rēzekne?

I would recommend visiting "Gors" a concert hall , with an interesting architecture and nice cultural program ( concerts , theater , movies) that you can enjoy.

Is it good to eat out in Rēzekne? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

Yes , as previously mentioned there are quite a few different choices for eating out , all depends on your preference. Although if you are vegetarian , vegan , on a gluten free diet or other , it can be quite difficult to find an option on a menu .

Is the nightlife good in Rēzekne? Where is good to go?

As it comes to nightlife , there are not that many clubs or bars around the town . Clubs where usually work only on certain days ( Saturday or Friday). However, there are plenty of casinos here that work everyday.

What advice would you give future students heading to Rēzekne?

Enjoy ! Don't be shy , most of people where speak English , but can be a bit to shy to talk to you :)